The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be without quarterback Baker Mayfield for their Super Wild Card Weekend game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The team listed Mayfield as questionable for Monday night’s playoff showdown at Raymond James Stadium.
Mayfield is dealing with an ankle injury as well as injured ribs. The 28-year-old did not practice on Thursday and was a limited participant on Friday and Saturday.
His game status will be confirmed 90 minutes before kickoff.
Mayfield injured his ribs in the Week 17 loss to the New Orleans Saints, but played the entire game. Still dealing with that injury, he also injured his ankle in the Week 18 9-0 win over the Carolina Panthers. He played the season-finale game in its entirety, despite the additional injury.
This season, he has 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and a 64.3 completion percentage — all career highs for the former No. 1 overall pick.
Given the importance of the game, Mayfield will likely do everything he can to be out on the field. If he is unable to play, Kyle Trask, who is the No. 2 QB in the team’s depth chart, will likely get the start. The Bucs other quarterback on their roster is John Wolford.
Trask was selected as the No. 64 overall pick by the Bucs in 2021. Since entering the NFL, he has three completions on 10 attempts for 23 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
If Mayfield is able to play, it will be his first postseason start since the 2020 season, when he helped defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers as the Cleveland Browns quarterback. His only other playoff appearance came in the AFC divisional round, after the win over the Steelers. The Browns lost that game to the Kansas City Chiefs.
In the playoffs, Mayfield has 467 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, with a passer rating of 94.0.
Philadelphia has lost five of its last six games as locker room issues and struggles in all three phases have taken over the narrative of the team. Tampa Bay won five of its last six games to take the NFC South crown.
The game is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday.
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Author: Shanna McCarriston
January 13, 2024 | 6:55 pm
